VINCI welcomed two street artists to its headquarters, the archipel, for a residency programme
For VINCI, the company's economic project is inseparable from its social and societal project, and the performance of its activities is also measured by their value to society and their contribution to community life. With the six-month artist residency of Lek and Sowat, VINCI enriched its social and societal commitment with an artistic sponsorship component: the buildings of the archipel have become a canvas for artistic creation.
A year ago, a unique residency began at l'archipel, the Group's headquarters. From November 2024 to May 2025, VINCI welcomed two artists to bring together two cultures: that of the company and that of contemporary artistic creation. Working as a duo since 2010, street artists Lek and Sowat share a common interest in urban exploration, a discipline that involves exploring the city in search of unusual locations or raw materials in unusual places (tunnels, technical rooms, etc.) or abandoned sites (commercial and industrial wastelands). More than traditional graffiti, their experiments with materials combine painting, lighting, videos and installations to create a modern form of urban land art.
During their residency at l'archipel, the artists created several pictorial and kinetic works :
- Support Surface, mural painting, VINCI headquarters, 2025, Nanterre
- Lorem Ipsum, digital works and videos created during the residency, 2025, La Défense
This project was part of Les Magnétiques programme, created in 2021 by Paris Île-de-France Capitale Économique (PCE), founded by the CCIP, to promote the region's economic fabric internationally.
Because images sometimes speak louder than words, take a look at Lek & Sowat's residency at l'archipel in this video.
Lek & Sowat's residency at VINCI